History and Culture Activities in the Park

 
 
Stamp for 2020 virtual visit to the C&O Canal National Historical Park.
Plan your visit, then get stamped. Click the image above to download and print your virtual C&O Canal NHP passport stamp.

NPS Photo

Passport to Your National Parks

Are you an avid stamp collector? See below for a list of passport stamp locations throughout the park. Plan your visit, then get stamped! Click the passport stamp to download and print your digital stamp. Passport stamps will be available in-person as visitor centers re-open. See current park conditions and alerts for the most updated information. Visit the America's National Parks website to learn about the very popular Passport to Your National Parks program, Passport books, and more.

Passport Stamp Locations

  • Great Falls Tavern
  • Williamsport Visitor Center
  • Cumberland Visitor Center
 
Visitors walking along the towpath.
Visitors walking the towpath at the C&O Canal.

NPS Photo

Towpath Trek EarthCache

Enjoy a historical scavenger hunt with the Towpath Trek EarthCache. EarthCaching allows you to explore the C&O Canal and the Great Falls while protecting the Park and #RecreatingResponsibly. Use your favorite map or GPS app to find the coordinates, take in your surroundings, read the waysides, and enjoy a fun activity exploring!

 
Youth visitors petting a mule at the park.
Youth meeting the mules and Park Rangers at the C&O Canal.

NPS Photo

Meet the Mules

Mules played an important part in the C&O Canal's early history. The NPS operates a replica packet boat named The Charles F. Mercer at Great Falls, Maryland, during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Enjoy a trip back in time as mules pull the canal boat and Park Rangers share stories and the history around you. The mules live and work at Great Falls so meet them before or after a boat ride!

 
Union soldiers of the Army Signal Corps near Georgetown during the Civil War.
Union soldiers of the Army Signal Corps pose near some barracks near Georgetown (Washington DC) during the Civil War.

Library of Congress

Georgetown Civil War Walking Tour

Walking through the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, most visitors may not be aware of the history that took place there. The buildings that still stand from early Georgetown hold rich stories of everyday life and survival through a significant time in history: the Civil War. Start a discussion! The Georgetown Civil War Walking Tour is a great family, small group, or self-guided activity to explore history outdoors. Read through the tour and reflect on each of the historical events at each stop.

 
Historical black and white image of Lock 46 and the mule crossover bridge.
Historical image of Lock 46 and the mule crossover bridge.

NPS Photo / Karen Gray

Visit the Four Locks Community

Built close together, Locks 47 through 50 developed a community of people that worked, lived, and depended on the C&O Canal for transportation. Explore Four Locks and start a discussion! How are the lives of the residents of this community similar or different from yours? If you lived at Four Locks during this time, what would your everyday look like? Read more about this historical area and visit to see the Canal Towns for yourself.


 
Catoctin Aqueduct with mirrored reflection.
Catoctin aqueduct.

NPS Photo

Visit Canal and River Structures

Visitors at the C&O Canal can still see many structures that were integral to the operation of the canal. The locks, lockhouses, aqueducts, bridges, culverts, feeder dams, and waste weirs are just some of these examples. Learn about the different canal and river structures, then plan a trip to go see engineering innovation at the C&O Canal!

 
Scene of Harriet Tubman with a small child and people in the background representing former slaves she helped free.
Scene of Harriet Tubman with a small child and people in the background representing former slaves she helped free.

NPS Photo

Walk the Network to Freedom

The National Park Service preserves and protects powerful places: the physical memory of our nation's history. Locations related to the Underground Railroad are part of the Network to Freedom program. The locations in this program include National Park units and locations with a verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad. Visiting these places, virtually or in person, allows you to form your own connections to the story of the Underground Railroad in America.

  • Visit the NPS Network to Freedom website Explore the Underground Railroad
  • Use the interactive map or searchable table for locations with connections to the Underground Railroad along the C&O Canal and across the US
  • Search Maryland, DC, or WV to see what trails are near you
 

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Last updated: July 24, 2024

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142 W. Potomac St.
Williamsport, MD 21795

Phone:

301-739-4200

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